Mechanical stoker



J. W. MYERS MECHANICAL STOKER" Original Filed Oct. 18, 1930 Dec. 3, 1935.

2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Dec. 3, 1935. J, w, MY R 2,022,995

MECHANICAL STOKER Original Filed Oct. 18, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented cc. 3, 1935 2,022,995 MECHANICAL STQR dohn W.

York, N. Y.,

Myers, Roanoke, Va., Standard Stoker Company,

lgnor to The incorporated, New

a corporation of Delaware Application October 18, 1930, Serial No. 489,642

. newed October 11, 1934 2 Claims. (Cl. 110-101) to the firebox of the boiler of the locomotive.

The primary feature of the invention consists in providing the stoker with a conduit extending upwardly toward thefiring opening formed in the rear wall of the firebox, the discharge end of the conduit being contiguous to the rear wall of the firebox and being enclosed by a door casing, the fuel being delivered upwardly through the lower portion of the casing and being adapted to fall by gravity through the firing opening.

- Another feature of the invention consists in providing the conduit adjacent the firing opening with improved means for rigidly attaching it to the back wall of the firebox.

Other and more specific features of the invention residing in advantageous forms, combinations and relations of parts will hereinafter appear and be pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings illustrating a preferred embodiment of the invention:

Figure 1 is a side forward portion of the of the locomotive being Figure 2 is a sectional Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a front elevational view of the conduit of the stoker leading towards the firing elevational view of the stoker, adjacent portions in section.

view taken on line 2-2,

" opening.

Figure 4 is a longitudinal sectional view of the forward portion of the stoker and adjacent portion of the locomotive.

Figure 5 is an elevational view of the forward portion of the stoker as-viewed from the lefthand side of Figure-1 and with some portions broken away and with the firedoor removed.

Figure 6 is a fragmentary view like Figure 5 but with the firedoor shown in position.

Referring more particularly to the drawings l indicates a portion of a locomotive which may be of any desired construction and 5 represents an inclined conduit section extending forwardly from the locomotive tender (not shown).

Extending upwardly from the forward end of the conduit section 5 from beneath the floor of the locomotive cab is a conduit 8, the discharge end of which is contiguous to the rear wall 6| of the firebox of the locomotive and the portion of the discharge end nearest the firebox wall terminates adjacent the lower edge of the firing opening 9 formed in the latter. The lower portion of the conduit 8 is of substantially cylindrical shapein cross section and is connected to the conduit section 5 by a ball joint. This ball joint is formed by providing the lower end of the conduit 8 with a spherically shaped portion i0 within which is disposed a sleeve ii. The sleeve is 5 slidably mounted on the forward end of the conduit section 5 and its exterior surface is spherically shaped to correspond with the of the portion I 0. tion or shell inner surface The spherically shaped porl0 comprises the parts "Ia and I 0b, 1 which parts, when assembled are rigidly fastened together by suitable means, as by the bolts l0c passing through the lugs id. The adjacent marginal edges of the spherically shaped portion I0 and the riser conduit 8 are provided with the laterally extending flanges 50 and 58 respectively, and are rigidly attached to each other by suitable fastening means, as by the bolts 5 I passing through the flanges 50 and 58. Adjacent its upper end the conduit 8 is formed with laterally projecting portions or lugs l2 whereby the conduit may be conveniently rigidly secured to the back wall of the firebox by any suitable means such as bolts I3.

. The lower end of the conduit may also be rigidly secured to the locomotive by a bracing member M.

The cross sectional configuration of the conduit 8 progressively changes from adjacent its lower end where it is of substantially cylindrical form to adjacent its upper end where it is of substantially rectangular form. The side walls of the conduit progressively diverge from adjacent the lower end of thelatter to the upper end thereof while the fuel supporting bottom or forward wall and the rearward or top wall of the conduit are substantially parallel throughout their entire lengths. The rear and side walls preferably extend upwardly beyond the front or forward wall of the conduit and terminate in substantially the same horizontal plane which lies in the lower half of the firing opening 8. Along their marginal edges the side walls may be conveniently formed with substantially horizontally disposed flanges l 5 for reinforcing the laterally projecting portions l2 and rigidifying the discharge end of the conduit 5 as a whole.

The upper end of the forward wall of the conduit together with adjacent portions of the side walls may, if desired, extend slightly into the firing opening 9. Secured to the forward wall 60 adjacent its upper end is a distributing table i6 which extends forwardly through the firing opening into the firebox. The distributing table is formed with a plurality of apertures through which steam or the like is adapted to be disl top wall of the conduit 8 at a greater angle of inclination with the horizontal than the inclination of the aforesaid conduit top wall. Movably mounted upon the casing in spaced relation to the back wall of the firebox and in substantially horizontal alinement with the firing opening are a plurality of pivoted doors l8. These doors constitute a rear wall portion for the casing and when in closed or operative positions constitute, in effect, a continuation of the rear wall of the conduit 8. The lower portion of the casing conforms substantially to the contour of the discharge end of the conduit and is open on its underside from adjacent the doors to the back wall of the firebox. It will thus be seen that the casing encloses the discharge end of the conduit and forms an upwardly extending continuation thereof. Although the casing may be secured to the back wall in any desired manner it ispreferred to provide it with a laterally projecting portion IQ for receiving attaching bolts 20. The portion 69 is spaced slightly from adjacent portions of the back wall so that it is only necessary to machine relatively small portions of the frame to enable the frame to contact evenly with the back wall.

For advancing fuel through the conduits into the firebox a screw conveyor 2| is disposed within the conduit section '5. It may be driven in any well known manner.

In the operation of the stoker coal is propelled from the locomotive tender forwardly and upwardly through the inclined conduit section 5 and conduit 8 by the conveyor screw 2|, Although the forward end of the conveyor screw terminates in the lower portion of the conduit 8 coal is easily lifted upwardly therein in a column by the advancing fuel. The coal emerges into the door casing or frame l1 through the lower portion thereof and falls by gravity over the discharge end of the forward wall of conduit 8 onto the distributing table or plate and from there propelled by the steam blast into the firebox. It is to be particularly noted that the coal falls by its own weight into the firebox through the firing opening instead of being directed through the firing opening by a curved conduit. This construction has been found to be most advantageous in the handling of wet coal since the coal emerges from the discharge end of the conduit in an unsupported column and is free to fall by gravity directly through the firing opening onto the distributing plate.

From the foregoing it will be perceived that simple and reliable means has been provided for delivering fuel to the locomotive firebox. Furthermore, the construction of the stoker is such that wet fuel may be efliciently handled without danger of the stoker being rendered inoperative by packing of the fuel.

I claim:

1. In a stoking apparatus, the combination with a firebox having a firing opening in an upright wall thereof, a conduit for delivering fuel into said fire box through said opening, said conduit 5 being rigidly attached to said upright wall and including side walls and approximately parallel top and bottom walls, said bottom wall constituting a fuel supporting surface and terminating at its forward end at the lower portion of said firing 10 opening, means for urging fuel through said conduit, said top-wall constraining the fuel within the confines of said conduit during movement of the fuel toward said firing opening, the upper end of said top and side walls terminating in a plane above the upper edge of said bottom wall but in the lower half of said firing opening to form an unobstructed mouth for the discharge of fuel in an endwise direction into the firing opening, a door casing secured to said upright wall extending above said top and side walls and having top and side walls embracing corresponding portions of the firing opening, said conduit opening in an upward dire'ction into said casing, the top and side walls of said casing terminating in a common plane which is in spaced relation with said upright wall and extends upwardly from the terminal end of the top wall of said conduit at a greater angle of inclination with the horizontal than the angle of inclination of said conduit top wall, and a door mounted on said casing for movement in the plane defined by the rear edge of the top and side walls of said casing.

2. In a stoking apparatus, the combination with a firebox having a firing opening in an upright wall thereof, a conduit for delivering fuel into said firebox through said opening, said conduit being rigidly attached to said upright wall and including side walls and approximately parallel top and bottom 'walls, said bottom wall consti- 40 tuting a fuel supporting surface and terminating at its forward end at the lower portion of said firing opening, means for urging fuel through said conduit, said top wall constraining the fuel within the confines of said conduit during movement of the fuel toward said firing opening, the upper end of said top and side walls terminating in a plane above the upper edge of said bottom wall but in the lower half of said firing opening to form an unobstructed mouth for the discharge of fuel in an endwise direction into the firing opening, a door casing secured to said upright wall extending above said top and side walls and having top and side walls embracing corresponding portions of the firing opening, said conduit opening in an upward direction into said casing, the top and side walls of said casing terminating in a common plane which is in spaced relation with said upright wall and extends upwardly from the terminal end of the top wall of said conduit at a greater angle of inclination with the horizontal than the angle of inclination of said conf duit top wall, a door mounted on said casing for movement in the plane defined by the rear edge of the top and side walls of said casing, and a lug carried by said conduit and extending above the terminal end of the top wall thereof and in spaced relation with the rear edge of said casing, said door fitting between said lug and the rear edge of said casing.

JOHN W. MYERS. 

